New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-25

| until hc heard latch snapped apoVo h'' VIM .
hurled up. and raspng, angry voice snori'hg ou' :
| Hello, there, you fooli Dye want to pun mo
house downl' 49,
ars dis ia rcs't.nre Of Mr. p. Mugglcby, senorf
Teddy blandly inquired ~
Yea. Won Internal little scamp, what dye wantF'
ais Mr. p Mucgleby, senior. to homo"
"Of course he ls. Whore should he be at this limo
o. night"
Teddy did not offer any suggestions as to whero
Ar Mugccbv ought 10 be- lie contcutcd himself with
the mild observation that he had otter "wots 'er
be give o dc gcn'l'man hsscf'
| The window closed with heavy bang and the iatch
caught nolsly above II. Presently iaint hHm P''n'
,nerrd through the circular transOm over rho noor
and ono By one nearly n dozen locks and bolts were
carefully drawn The door opened on crack ana
! the same rasring voice demanded "Give II hcre'
pov's a answer" said Teddy.
| mWoII stand there and I'll hand II ont to yon"
This not precisely what Tcdhy's mission per-
mtted him to consent to. lie began to 500 that MS
! only chance of success with such Grabbed ola GUS
toner ms he had to doal with lay in pursuing policy
| OF cold naked impudence. This he rather PRICED
himself upon az his great forte fIe held tho letter
I'm his hand and said al don't offence but dc
wcdder out ycrc is kinder chilly. Wots do matter VIA
| Iottin' a fccr nsde1"
Tho door opened wider and TAN thin pnllid old
man clad in n long ragged wrapper revealed h'mScH.
He held candle of at ono side trying with HIS hand
n shield
scanned TrdGys fare closely.
"You may como In" no said, haif dnD'o"SS'
| where's tho letter1'
Teddy banded II over and surveyed tho promises
Tho walls and floor of tho vestibule and entry wore
hare and tho sound Of his heavy step rang ont through
the house starting u score OF uncomfortable echoes
| Hold the candle" growled Old Muggeby
Teddy obeyed. and tho old man began to search
himself for hts spcctaces.
"Drat II !" he said They re upstairs io'
stay here while 20 get 'cu. and mind YOU don't
| moyo.'
stay yors In dc darhr
aWby not you little foolt what's going to poster
! youf-
aD,r,n.- said Teddy "woti Ell knowed wot
| mcbbe | wouldn't min stayln. Dis house IS drefui
smoky an ef It's all de same to you. mister I'll 30
along Wild ye.'
Tho old man glared Mt him moment, but seeing
no alternative he replaced his bolts and chains. ana
| led the way up tho creaking stairs.
| "well I'm In" murmured Teddy to himself rather
ruchrlly "an' now dc question Is howm gcin ter
git agin1-
He followed Old Mugrleby closely, the steps shak-
| ing and protesting with many foloful noise until
they entored A rear room IN" second floor. In
| r,,t-,v old armchair nrar the open hearth whore
| The diving rrb~rS ~ lttis wood FIRE smoEed ana
| rickcrcd sat n fat. small. bald headed man. lie
v,sn', rrc,,v IN look A. but Teddy Glad 10 sec
| him lie was IN rho hnmor 70 rnioy almost any
thing I'm the nature % human being In tho centre
u, tho room ancient battered DISK covered with
tho ashes from couple Of p~s'enial clay pipes and
with a rnntuis Of papcrs and avalanche OF dust.
4 sofs worn 10 the springs. few hard. tumble down
chairs and a tall. old fashioned bookcase completed
the rrous equipment Of furniture. The ar was Hius'y
md foul with stale tobacco smoke and nom the walls
az they nosy entered camc n succession OF dSqnici-
Ing squcals and scrNchInrs tho weird protests Of
/ . ffla,ur h~d Iefl
chair and viewed his situation with melancholy fore
hndrrs
"Radscr- said old Murgl"by to the lttle bald
headed man hero. read this letter. Your eyes are
better than mine
Mr. Badger drew his chair 10 the table. ard placed
tho candle near at hand Then h. read
Christmas Eve.
Mr. T. M,qg'>by sr
"UxcLr PETER: cannot bcllrvc that yon really
intend to innict upon me- The cruel ouras'' which
have been pcrpcratcd under your orders feel sur"
that there must De- some mistake about It, and that
YOU are acting under the unucncc Of some one waoSo
malice you have no Just reason 20 satisfy
This letter viii introduce to you my friend. Mr.
T. O'Crady. to whom havN conhlri my interests
l sick and Destitute Iro Is tho only ono to whom
have fclt ai,o in'rust this mission He VIII toll
YOU what think IS my honest due. and what feel
you win only De- too glad 10 grant whom Won are
acquainted With The whole case. too sick -
write mora with my Christmas greetings. remain,
your nephew H'Rvtr ALMOND
whom Nr Badger had rad N, signature. h" glanced
over n oli MngsIcby, and coushcd 10 mild and
Apologize way
"nadror.- said old Murslcby. "dli You ever hear
such damned impud'ncel"
Never rcplcd Mr. BADGER, never. Friend Mug
elchy. rcvcr. my honor
"The fool was maudlln drunk when be- wrote II.
| know he was Wasn't b.. Badger P"
"Drunlcr than boiled OWL Friend Mucslcly on
my honor
~Vhai I've moan. you yorng laclnnares," ro'r"d
Oh Nrgsicny turning around and conf ontnc Teddy,
"hy hoihrrug nj this timc a night with On" drunk
cn whine, ~ an ungraicfl brat whom I've hccn sup
porting ever since hs bornl What dyc mosn,
| say
NJ + o'craiv rose from ~, chair AMI wolhcd over
to the hearth lIr tumhcd nm armfl ~ wood on tho
nnnrons ard pohod up IA, dying crners Whom AZ
Insi cheerful blnyc started mp D. turned hN una
hnshci front - tho amazed old man and replied
"Woi'. do ne cr TWIN ter give DO mg hluni'
Old Nucc'chy ri ,rcd At tho tov as II DO meant 10
or~n h, savage jaws and swallow him At single gnlp
Mr badger however. drew close mp 10 tn" warming
flames. and rubbed hi, hands before them most CON
/ tcniodly
81 didn't como yerc f. nun" Teddy continued 4"
didn't ',pcct was con' on picnic. Hut : long =
I'm, ycre. faint no moron fair ter gimme a show.
We can't talk biz wild our ccf chattcrn an shshln
Wild ie col Sow. den dat fires sumpn' like. say,
Gully. ainr n = daisy ?"
This question was addressed to Mr. nndc"r. who
started norvousy aud anxious glance at Ola
Mugglchy
"Tn bound 70 say 10 replied. with Some h'sl'a
ton. that the atmosphere ha, s'cm'i TO m" ifihe
chilly trnc chilly"
"Wcll, should smile" said Teddy, assuming IA"
mir ~ diplomat Now, Wild regard ter my fHcn'
Nr Harvey Almond lie fools daf he's down on hts
luck and dat Won uus 10y which also means he young
fclicr amt done 4 SQUARE ting. See"
ola Murglchy began TO crack his nngcrionis In
way that made Mr. Badger qualc and trcmhlc
." toc him ter brace mp scz. SCI |. : II amt de-
ole man SGT I, 'r's Dc young IN. You've scoopcd